


Christmas Gifts

by Tangofic



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-01
Updated: 2018-01-01
Packaged: 2019-02-26 02:46:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13226526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tangofic/pseuds/Tangofic
Summary: A short story about Christmas with Steve & Peggy.This is a Steggy Secret Santa gift for koreanrage.  I hope you like it! :)





	Christmas Gifts

**Author's Note:**

  * For [korenrage](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=korenrage).



The controls vibrated beneath his hands as he veered the plane off course toward the freezing water below. Her picture in the compass in front of him and her voice in his ears became his focus. He would listen to her and see her face, and that was all there was. This was his choice. It was important. The sound of the radio crackled as he headed faster to the water. He filled the air with his voice, talking of a dance that he would never have, not knowing if she could even hear him anymore. The controls of the plane shattered beneath his grip and his heart pounded in his chest as he impacted with the ice and broke through the surface. 

Steve Rogers jerked awake and felt something shatter in his hands. The gasping breaths he took in were warm, not cold. He glanced to his left and found the remnants of what previously was a night stand leg splintering in his hand. He winced as the lamp slid to the floor with a crash, along with a glass of water. He wiped the sweat from his face and glanced to his right. Peggy was awake, silently waiting for him to recover. He gathered her close and just breathed in her scent for a moment. She smelled like safety and home. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried not to see the plane again, tried not to feel the cold…so cold. It had taken Howard a full year to find the wreckage and even more time to figure out a safe way to remove him and bring him back. Howard had told him much later that it was the haunted look in Peggy’s eyes that kept him looking longer than he would have otherwise. She went to work, she served her country, she did her job without flinching but he could see the loss every time he looked at her.

“I’m sorry I woke you,” he said, his voice muffled against her. He felt like he was hovering on the edge of terror and death all over again.

“It happens every time you are really happy, you know,” she said, caressing his back. “Every time you feel as if you have the most to lose…every Christmas, every birthday, every happy day.” He pulled her in tighter, rubbing her swollen belly with one large hand. He didn’t say anything. He didn’t need to. They lay in silence for a long time, comforting each other in the dark. Just as he was falling asleep she added acidly, “Incidentally, you will no longer be allowed to have a night stand as you have broken three over the last few months.” He snorted in amusement before falling into a deep, satisfied sleep.

The early morning sun was barely peeking through the windows when he was awakened by a small foot pressing hard against his face. He opened one eye and groaned. His daughter was laying horizontally across the bed taking up more room than one five-year-old should be able to. She was sleeping peacefully in red footie pajamas that were covered with tiny white and black puppies wearing tinier Santa hats. She must have climbed into bed with them at some point in the night and was now slowly pushing him off his side. Peggy was already gone, no doubt having been pushed off the other side. 

He wandered into the living room where Peggy was resting on the couch, one hand spanning her rounded belly and the other holding a cup of tea. Her eyes were closed, so he gently took the swaying cup from her hand and sat down next to her, cuddling her against his body. 

“Mmmm,” she murmured, snuggling into his warmth. Her favorite thing about him these days was that he was a walking radiator, and the apartment was drafty in the winter. The live Christmas tree in the corner was already surrounded by gifts, which was no doubt the reason their daughter could not stay in her own bed. He would not be surprised to find out that she had been out there shaking presents before she crawled into bed with them.

“MOMMY DADDY! A lamp broked!” came a yell from the vicinity of their bedroom. They both grinned. She was such a sweet little angel when she was shrieking like a banshee. 

They had a simple breakfast of eggs and toast and had torn through all of the presents an hour later. Colorful paper littered the floor and Sharon was pulling a toy dog around the room. She barked and yipped, her light brown hair bouncing in crooked pigtails around her head. When the doorbell rang unexpectedly. Steve stood up and scooped Sharon up with one arm and carried her like a sack of potatoes to the door, making her giggle and squirm. “Daddy!” she laughed as he swung her around dramatically.

“Who could it be?” he asked as he opened the door, swinging her easily to his hip. A tall, dark-haired man stood there in a suit and tie holding a large wrapped package with a giant bow on the top.

“Mr. Jarvis,” Peggy said with a smile. “Happy Christmas.” She gestured him in and Steve stepped aside so he could enter. He hadn’t met the man, but he knew of Mr. Jarvis by reputation.

“Happy Christmas,” he echoed as he was let into the apartment. “I’m sorry to interrupt your holiday, but I have a delivery.”

“Don’t say Howard has you working today?” Peggy asked with obvious disapproval, gesturing him inside.

“I didn’t mind this small errand. I have a gift,” he announced, looking at Sharon. He looked at the package as if he didn’t know what the tag said, “Is there a Princess Sharon in residence?

Sharon wiggled down from her father’s side and hopped up and down excitedly, “That’s me!”

“Then this gift is for you from Mr. Stark.” He bent and set the box gently on the floor in front of the little girl.

A small whine and a movement of the box gave away the contents before Sharon could get inside and see the fuzzy black and white puppy inside. “It’s a puppy!!” she shouted in almost manic delight.

“Really Howard,” Peggy growled to no one in particular, then rounded on her friend. “Mr. Jarvis, it is highly inappropriate to give someone a live animal to feed and care for as a gift!”

“Isn’t ‘inappropriate’ Howard’s middle name?” Steve muttered back. 

“Quite,” Jarvis agreed, smiling without remorse. They all looked at the little girl in her amazed glee, crawling on all fours behind the pup.

“Come here, Starky!” she called after him as he gambled under the tree to lick the water the tree rested in.

“We are not naming that dog after Howard,” Peggy growled.


End file.
